Morphine helps many patients heal from surgery and physical injuries. It is an effective painkiller when properly used. But abusing this potent drug leads to many morphine side effects. One of the worst side effects of overuse is addiction, a path leading to a downward spiral of other problems.

Why Morphine Is Dangerous

Man with far-away gaze suffering with morphine side effects.Morphine use can be fatal through overdose. Taking too much of the painkiller or mixing it with other drugs leads to this deadly problem. Overdose can happen the first time you ever abuse morphine or after addiction has already taken over. Whenever it happens, overdose is often fatal.

Addiction is another danger of morphine use. This physical and psychological dependence can happen to anyone who uses the drug outside of the doctor’s advice. But you are more likely to become addicted to morphine when you have a history of using drugs or alcohol, suffer from a mental illness, use more than prescribed or turn to the painkiller recreationally.

There are morphine side effects that you can experience in the short-term or as part of long-term drug abuse. One of the most dangerous of these side effects is breathing problems. While morphine alone can affect respiration, mixing the drug with alcohol or other substances can make breathing even more difficult.

Short-Term Morphine Side Effects

Using morphine can be an intense experience. You may use the drug for its relaxing effects, to help with chronic pain or because you like the euphoric high it gives you. Whether you inject, snort, smoke or take morphine in tablet form, this drug can damage your body in many ways.

Short-term morphine side effects include:

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Itching
  • Loss of appetite
  • Constricted pupils
  • Constipation
  • Infrequent urination
  • Slowed breathing
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Chest pain
  • Bluing of skin, lips, and nails
  • Dizziness
  • Agitation
  • Confusion
  • Seizures
  • Overdose

Overdose brings its own set of side effects. These include vomiting, extreme breathing problems, slow heartbeat, heart attack, seizures and loss of consciousness. Overdose can be fatal if it is not medically treated right away. If it does not lead to death, coma may result.

Long-Term Morphine Side Effects

Long-term use of morphine leads to one major side effect, that of addiction. It also causes damage to your life, job and relationships.

Long-term morphine side effects include:

  • Lost interest in most aspects of daily life
  • Many health problems
  • Financial problems
  • Drug-seeking behaviors
  • Stealing and other crimes
  • Uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms when not using
  • Development of serious infections and illnesses

Trying to end addiction to morphine is almost impossible without help. If you do not take the drug as you usually do, your body will go into withdrawal. Withdrawal brings its own set of ill effects, making quitting extremely difficult. But with the help of a quality addiction rehab, you can stop using morphine and end your addiction without the worst withdrawal side effects.

Help Is Waiting For You – End Your Morphine Addiction Now

Beaches Recovery in Jacksonville, Florida understands what your addiction feels like. You are not alone in wanting to end your struggle with drugs and alcohol. You are also not alone in wanting recovery to stick once and for all, so you can have a better life.

At Beaches Recovery, your better future can begin. Joint Commission-accredited treatment through a wide variety of therapies and dual diagnosis treatment can help you gain the lasting recovery you want so much. Beaches Recovery also has many different program options, including residential, outpatient, intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization and more.

If you or someone you love are ready to end your morphine addiction or dependence on other substances, call Beaches Recovery now at 8666050532. Make this important call to break free of the dark cycle of addiction and its side effects.